Articles posted April 4, 2008

Headlines and features from the Thoroughbred industry

Dan Hendricks faces a complaint from the California Horse Racing Board alleging that a horse in the trainer's care, Lotacat, tested in excess for the allowable level for a metabolite of acepromazine, a commonly used tranquilizer in horses. A hearing is scheduled April 13 at Santa Anita.

Uptown Racing's Boss Lafitte used a rail-skimming trip under Robby Albarado and took over in upper stretch to win by a half-length in the $150,000 Central Bank Transylvania Stakes on a rainy opening day April 4 at Keeneland.

Though Larry Jones was tempted to run his ultra-talented 3-year-old filly Eight Belles against the boys in the $1-million Arkansas Derby (gr. II) April 12, the trainer has decided to take the safer route, and instead will line up the daughter of Unbridled's Song in the $250,000 Fantasy Stakes (gr. II) April 6 at Oaklawn Park.

Where have we seen this before? A modestly-bred Danzig-line horse, after leading throughout to score a devastating win in a grade I classic trial on his second start of the year, becomes a favorite for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I).

Cappucino Kid, an earner of nearly $250,000, was rescued from a feedlot in Washington State March 23 and is on his way to a new home at Old Friends, a Thoroughbred retirement facility near Georgetown, Ky.

Researchers at the University of Melbourne in Australia have found that the majority of lesions found radiographically in sale yearlings have no effect on their racetrack performance when they are 2 and 3 years old.

Delaware environmental secretary John Hughes has issued a Coastal Zone Act permit to Michael Dickinson's synthetic-surface company Tapeta Footings to operate a new manufacturing facility in New Castle, Del.

HRTV's originally produced weekly show on top Derby prospects and the road to the Triple Crown. This week's episode includes an update on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, a recap of the Florida Derby, an interview with Eoin Harty, trainer of Colonel John; and previews of the Wood Memorial, Illinois Derby, and Santa Anita Derby.

The "Rags to Riches Belmont Bash," hosted by the New York Racing Association and The Jockey Club, will be held June 5 at the Clubhouse at Meadowbrook Pointe in Westbury, N.Y. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and the Belmont Child Care Association. Tickets are $250.

Due to heavy overnight rains continuing into April 4, the New York Racing Association has canceled live racing at Aqueduct in an effort to preserve the racing surface for the Wood Memorial program on April 5.

Barretts has cataloged 329 horses for its May sale of 2-year-olds in training in Southern California. The auction will be held May 13 at the Hinds Pavlion on the grounds Fairplex Park, beginning at 11 a.m. (PDT).

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand is retesting samples taken from horses imported directly from the United States to the Karaka quarantine facility due to conflicting test results that indicate the presence of equine influenza, the Sportsman of Australia has reported.

Before I looked twice at the past performances, I was concerned that trainer Nick Zito ordered the final Wood Memorial workout for War Pass nine days before the grade I race. But then I realized the trainer was following a pattern familiar to him and his horse.